New Zealand canoe sprint paddlers Aimee Fisher and Dame Lisa Carrington. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's been a while since New Zealand has had two athletes contending for the gold medal in the same event at an Olympics.
Just three times in Olympic history have two New Zealanders stood on different levels of the podium for the same event.
Two world-class athletes could be about to do it again in Paris with Dame Lisa Carrington and Aimee Fisher both lining up in the Canoe Sprint K1 500.
After taking a break from the sport Fisher returned to the international stage with a vengeance.
She beat Carrington in two World Cup races earlier this year and their third meeting should be in the K1 500 final in Paris.
After her second victory, Fisher said she had a lot of belief and was excited about the showdown with Carrington.
"I know I have to bring every single ounce of me to the race though," Fisher told Planet Canoe.
"That belief is good, but still on the day who knows which way it's going to go... it's going to be the clash of the titans."
Canoe Racing NZ general manager of performance Nathan Luce said while the whole squad had been together for some months now, there had been some separation between the two, with individual training schedules.
"We've devised a formula that we think works well for both of them," Luce told RNZ.
"Both getting world class coaching, world class support and there is a mutual respect for what each other is trying to accomplish.
"It's a blessing that we have two of the greatest paddlers in the world right now and we believe we're giving them the tools they need to perform."
Aimee Fisher (L) and Lisa Carrington (R) on Lake Karapiro in 2022. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Dame Lisa is a five-time Olympic champion, her first win was at the 2012 London Games, while in Tokyo three years ago she won three gold medals.
She will again be in three boats in Paris, the K1, K2 and K4.
So how does the 35 year old manage to stay at the top.
"I think what can limit me or us is just thinking that the gold medal is all that you can achieve, but really when you look at the big picture there is so much more.
"So that is what has been so fortunate about being in it for so long I've been able to learn to want more than just the winning or the performing."
Meanwhile there are also contenders for Canoe Slalom medals on the white water course at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
Luuka Jones won silver in the K1 in Rio in 2016 and is set to compete at her fifth Olympics.
She and Finn Butcher will race the individual event along with a new Kayak Cross which has four paddlers going down the course at the same time.
Jones says they may have a bit of an advantage having grown up racing kayak cross and it probably suits New Zealanders.
"There is stuff going on everywhere and I love the adrenaline of it.
"When you're sitting on that start ramp your heart rate is high, it's wild... everyone is going for it."
Butcher admits a bit of mongrel is probably needed to excel in kayak cross.
The Alexandra paddler likened it to backyard bullrush and said a no-fear attitude was helpful.
"We just love to get stuck into it, I suppose, not afraid to rip in and put your body on the line.
"You get hit severely and that's probably why people like to watch it, because people love to see carnage which probably plays into our hands a bit."
Finn Butcher. New Zealand Canoe Slalom paddler. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Having competed at five Olympics, Jones is set to step away from the elite level of the sport after the games.
"If this is my last year paddling then everything is a little bit more special.
"You kind of take for granted when you've been to all of these places you've only got a certain of races left and everything means a little bit more."
The Canoe Slalom runs during the first week of the games and is then followed by the Canoe Sprint.
Three times in Olympic history two New Zealand athletes have both stood on the Olympic podium for the same event.
They were Peter Snell and John Davies in the 1500 metres in 1964, Blyth Tait and Sally Clarke in eventing in 1996, and Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty in the triathlon in 2004.
